December 2021 was an enjoyable and roller coaster month for me. Firstly, my daughter who resides in Sweden visited after 2 years and kept our family busy. It was a week of quarantine for her and then we started going places and eating out.
I celebrated my 60th birthday in June 2021 at home with my family on a small scale as we were still in the lockdown. I was a bit happy but looking forward to a bigger bash as not all my family members were together with me. Now, let me take you back to my childhood in Penang. When I was a teenager, while walking or cycling to school, I used to pass by Eastern and Oriental (E&O) hotel on Farquhar Street. I used to wonder what the inside of this hotel would be like. It was a place where foreigners and rich people could afford to stay and this was something not within my reach. When I moved to Kuala Lumpur and went for visits to Penang, the idea of staying here did not occur to me. However, in December 2021, we managed to book a room at the Heritage wing for 2 nights at this hotel. Imagine my excitement as we drove to Penang and checked in. All those years came back to me and I smiled from ear to ear as my dream had come true.
The hotel was fully booked as it was December and beautiful people were seen everywhere. We had to wait a while (good customer service for keeping us waiting, we were given drinks) before we were shown to our room. Once inside, I looked around and headed for the balcony. The calmness of the sea, its blue water and the palm trees made my entry here more welcome than anywhere else. I sat down on the sofa and prayed silently to the Almighty. It may not be a great thing for others, but for me it was a big deal. How lucky I was!
The beautiful blue sea and the couch where I sat and pondered. The picture on the right is where you can wait for your hired boat to take you for a ride in the sea.
Pictures of the room and the swimming pool below. I am definitely going into this pool next time.
The front of Eastern and Oriental Hotel and you can see me waving on the right
The lift from a long time ago but can be seen in old movies
After resting for a while, we headed to Penang Road and as I sat down at the coffee shop for some chendol (a cool dessert), my eyes drifted to the wall. I was smiling to see Ambassador Kamala Lakhdir’s picture and being me, I could not contain myself. After all, she was the last Ambassador for me at the Embassy and I missed her. I stood up to look closer and people seated around me looked up to see what the commotion was all about. After enjoying a plate of char koay teow and a bowl of chendol, we walked around and went back to the hotel. In my career, I have visited Bangkok, Charleston, Washington DC and a few other cities but sitting in E&O’s bath was something else. Perhaps, I may be exaggerating but I lay there and smelled the old wood and imagined the people who had come and gone half a century ago.
Ambassador Lakhdhir’s picture on the wall of Penang Road Chendol coffee shop
Penang is famous for its delicious food so we drove to Penang Road and ate dinner at a large food court there. My girls who were never tired of the char koay teow ate it again. Then we drove around and enjoyed the night view. This was our “We” time!
The next day, after a nice breakfast we headed out to visit Penang Hill. To our shock, the queue to get tickets was so long that we were put off. On Green Lane road, there is a nice boutique called Islee but I have never gone in. This time, we went in and checked out and got something for the Chinese Lunar new year. Another place on Penang Road is Kek Seng and it is popular for its ice cream although there is popiah, assam laksa and chicken rice here. After our lunch, being lethargic we returned to the hotel. The weather was really hot in Penang whereas in other parts of Malaysia there were floods.
We relaxed and laughed as we laid in our beds but the longing to visit Penang Hill was still there. This time, we did not drive but ordered a grab car and reached Air Itam. The assistant at the Hill station told us we would have to wait 3 hours for the tram and on the return from the hilltop, it would be long. This time we aborted the plan but went on to Kek Lok Si temple. On my last trips, I have been to this temple but never reached the top of Pagoda. This time, I went up the stairs, pausing for a bit on each landing, huffing and puffing till I reached the highest point. On my right, I could see Quan Yin sitting on her throne quite close by. I took some pictures and we walked down slowly. My heart was contented, all around the place was peaceful.
At Kek Lok Si temple, Penang (view from the top of the Pagoda and me on the right at the flower garden)
The next day after breakfast, we sat for a bit and checked out from the hotel to head on to Butterworth and Alor Setar. We had a nice dinner in Alor Setar with my father and brother in law and caught up with the missed times during lockdown. Next morning after tosai and coffee, we made our way back to Kuala Lumpur. The roads were crowded, people were out and about but it was nice to see a new normal.
In a few days, it was New Year’s eve and we went to the temple for prayers. My students were all dressed up beautifully and I managed to click a few shots with them. They have all grown up now being in secondary classes and soon they will head out to college and the wide world.
My students and me waiting for New Year at Wadda Gurdwara Kampung Pandan on 31st Dec, 2021.
My birthday continued as we went to visit Kuala Selangor early morning on Sunday. We got onto a boat and traveled into the Straits of Malacca for about half an hour. The distance to this place is about 8 kilometers into the sea and we got off the boat and waded through the water. Here, the water level had gone down and we were actually walking on the seabed which had risen. The reflection of a mirror image of the sky on this island is visible only during the full and new moon period every month. Baby crabs, sea shells and some sea creatures could be seen on the sand but we were advised not to bring them home. I had seen pictures of others who had visited Sky Mirror but this was new to me. We spent some time on this little island and the sea was choppy on our return trip to shore. Our boat group had 2 families with young children. I noticed the children did not like the wet and sandy ground and had to be carried by their parents. The children could not be let down as they cried with real tears! The whole experience was extraordinary for me. We reached the shore and went to Malawati Hill where there were lots of monkeys to feed. From the top of this hill, the view below was spectular.
Walking on the little island in the middle of The Straits of Malacca is an amazing experience. Picture on the right is the Lighthouse on Bukit Malawati
Our last outing was a high tea at the Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. We spent some time imagining ourselves as the “ladies” of the English era as we enjoyed the scones and cakes with a cup of tea. We walked around admiring the beautiful colonial view and at 5 pm left for home. The roads in Kuala Lumpur were heavy with traffic, it was a new year and everyone was enjoying it.
Enjoying myself at the Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur with my girls
My best gift for my 60th was a Singer sewing machine and a new handphone to take good shots. I have learnt a few traits of the sewing machine but am still exploring it. Who knows I may master it and become a tailor in future. I take each day as a blessing and try to make the most of it by visiting the temple, chit chatting with the priest, having a cup of tea and parauntha, going for a walk in the park and listening to the birds. I took up swimming lessons in November, still perfecting the skill. I am proud of myself.
After coffee and a cake at Therefore in SS2, Petaling Jaya on New Year’s day. See my smile of contentment
